Fifteen years ago on Father’s Day, Gary and I were spending our Sunday morning putting in some hostas. Pretty unusual for us as we are faithful church-goers but we had sent the other eight kids off to church with some friends and were digging holes. We knew that if we didn’t get those purchased plants in that morning it was likely they would never get put in because we also knew we were having a baby a little later in the day.
When you get to delivering your ninth baby you start to recognize some labor patterns! What is harder to know is not when something begins but when it ends.
With our 9th child her first is our last. With Catherine we recognized when her first tooth came in we wouldn’t see that first happen again with our own child. We are on our second to last time to teach a student to drive and it only confirms for us this is NOT a business we would do for anyone other than blood!
And of course with each passing academic year, Catherine’s first whack at that grade or that course is our final go at it. I would never want our ninth child to think we are in a rush to close out her own years at home because although the years with children growing and learning may be longer for me I would argue it has gone past just as fast as anyone else’s.
Happy Birthday to the child who knows how to bring the best out of being last. To our artist, to our punster to the one who is a strong finisher. Happy last 15year old birthday.
What a sweet tribute. So wonderfully and lovingly said! Thanks, Mary